A theoretical analysis considers the impact of a typical system of redistributive "fiscal equalization" transfers on the taxing effort of local jurisdictions. More specifically, it shows that the marginal contribution rate, i.e. the rate at which an increase in the tax base is reducing those...

A theoretical analysis considers the impact of a typical system of redistributive fiscal equalizationʺ transfers on the taxing effort of local jurisdictions. More specifically, it shows that the marginal contribution rate, i.e. the rate at which an increase in the tax base reduces those...

The peculiarities of the German system of labor relations suggest, that the efficiency wage hypothesis stating an inverse relation between local wages and local unemployment should be related to sectoral wage bargaining on the national level. For that purpose a theoretical model is presented...

This paper discusses whether the dominant position of the Old Laender's economy in the unified Germany hampers the reemergence of industrial production in the New Laender. For that purpose productivity differences are explained by specialization advantages of industrial agglomerations, which are...

Local productivity externalities play an important role in the recent literature on economic geography and regional growth. But apart from case studies there is only weak empirical evidence. Using a simple theoretic framework the paper derives two empirical implications of those externalities...

This paper discusses how local tax rates of the business tax are set when communities compete for capital as a mobile factor. In a theoretical model communities provide public inputs financed by a tax on capital income in order to maximize a general objective function, which includes residents'...